The Differentials - Drive On!

The Differentials

​Drive On!
self-released; 2018

3.7 out of 5

By Bill Todde
​

The Differentials hail from Austin, TX. Their album Drive On! was released in October of 2017. A guitar driven sound that rocks hard from start to finish, the album is strictly business. Stuffed to the brim with licks, riffs and shredding solos, The Differentials’ style includes some help from the country way of songwriting and the bluesy guitar work of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Drive On! hits as heavy as it can while maintaining a smooth listening experience.

The third track on the album is “Drugs.” A hard rocking blues track, it opens with a riff that sounds like an AC/DC song. It tells the story of seedy people doing seedy things. Shredding the guitar behind the tragedies being outlined, it’s a classic feeling song that’s only been available to listeners for around a year.

“Long Way To Go” is further down the track list. The lyrics are very catchy. Listeners that are skilled at memorizing songs quickly will have it down in two or three listens. It’s a fun song to play loud and roll the windows down for. The track before “Long Way To Go” is a cover of The Box Tops’ “The Letter.” The Differentials’ heavier approach brings a new angle to the story while still maintaining the supporting pillars of the original song. The solos that appear in the song paint brand new pictures on the old canvas, making this cover feel like it is truly owned by The Differentials.

​The one thing that stood out the most was the attitude of the album. Each song is played with a ferocity that many bands never reach. The overall sound isn’t terribly unique. Fans of Ted Nugent, ZZ Top, AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith or any other of the iconic classic rock bands that dominated the ’70s will feel right at home with Drive On! playing from the speakers. The uniqueness comes from the grit that the band carries themselves with. It’s an infectious attitude that spreads to the listener quickly and lasts from the first note until the last.

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